Cat's Cradle
by Measured
Summary: Ike brings home a stray. AU, childhood gen and Ike & Neko!Soren cuteness
1. cobblestone path

title: cobblestone path

series: fire emblem 9

january thirteenth / the best article in the market

character/pairing: ike & neko!soren

Summary: Ike brings home a stray. AU, childhood gen and Ike & Neko!Soren cuteness.

A/N: considered childhood gen, but some parts might bridge into Ike/Soren territory because I have a hard time seeing them as pure gen, just as a warning. It'd be extremely light though. Ongoing set of interconnected oneshots all done for r-amythest, just because.

Sort of references the infamous 4-5 memory scene, so kind of spoilers, though I assure you Soren did not have cat ears there. Uh, auish after that fact, needless to a say.

* * *

_You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed_

-the little prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

* * *

Ike hadn't meant to stray, a street performer had caught his eye, his hand slipped from his mother's grasp, her mind on other things, she did not notice this until minutes later.

The people all blurred and yet Ike wasn't afraid of being alone.

Ike followed after a stray dog, attempting to get close enough to pet it until he was quite far away from the market. On the edge of the forest, all sorts of dark things and strange noises seemed inside, but Ike wasn't afraid, just ever so curious.

He heard a strangled sort of mew, and drew nearer, following the sound.

A boy lay at the edge of the forest, close to his own age, ragged, his clothes were ripped near to shreds.

He came closer.

The boy watched him with wide, wary eyes. Red eyes. His coal-black hair was matted in places, tangled with burrs.

But this wasn't what was truly odd about the boy – he had ears. _cat_ ears, and a small tail.

Ike watched with curiosity, for the first time, something stirring inside him.

The boy's tail flicked nervously as Ike came closer.

"I'm Ike. What's your name?"

The boy made a stifled sound, a tiny mewling in the back of his throat.

"I bet you're hungry, kitty."

Ike fished around in his pockets for the remainders of his lunch. The boy seemed transfixed.

"Go on, take it."

The boy had a moment of decision, fear verses hunger. Hunger won out spectacularly and he snatched the food away from Ike's hands and devoured it.

"Aren't you cold? You should come home with me"

The boy kept on shaking his head, moving away when Ike attempted to pull him along too.

"I promise I'll come back tomorrow, I'll bring you some milk, too."

The boy was hesitant, but finally nodded.

* * *

This time Ike came eagerly, trying hard not to spill his small container of milk along the way.

The boy was in the same place, looking anxiously around, waiting.

"It's for you."

Ike reached, slowly, slowly to touch the silky ears, the boy shied back, startled by the contact.

Ike tried again, and this time, the boy let him stroke the silky ears.

"You're soft, kitty."

The boy went back to drinking, and let Ike scratch him behind the ears.

Stomach full for the first time in a long while and the first gentle touch in his life, not a slap or a brush aside. It came without thought or reason. He purred.

* * *

The next day Ike came, he brought along his father. Physically dragging him to the forest's edge.

"Can I keep him? Can I?"

"Hmm. I'll have to think about it"

"Pleeeease? Hedoesn'thaveahomeandhe'llstarve!"

The boy looked up at him, so pitiful and small. Such a thin frame, ribs poked out and his face was all sharp angles. Terrified eyes that seemed too big for his small face.

"_Mew?_"

Griel sighed. There was no fighting a look like that.

* * *

The first thing was feeding him and giving him the nourishment he'd obviously been lacking.

Next was a bath which Ike had to help administer as the boy seemed very adverse to water. He glowered but let Ike scrub

He fit well in Ike's old castoff clothes. It took hours to get all the tangles and burrs from his hair, eventually, Griel gave up and simply cut it.

Then there was the issue of what to call him. Mist wanted to call him Princess Sparkflower and Ike was rather fond of Smokey. It was later that the boy drew out a very careful _Soren_ on Greil's scrolls, in writing that was far more skilled than most any other child he'd ever come across.

"I think he's already named," Greil said.

* * *

Even though the boy was almost his size, Ike dragged him everywhere. Mist soon latched on as well. Soren seemed overwhelmed at all the attention, yet he never bit or scratched, even if he was prone to growling – never at Ike though.

(He was especially not fond of being reined in for dress-up with Mist, and would glare and growl whenever she forced him to.)

Slowly Soren began to learn how to speak. And even when he said the most cynical, bitter things, he never raised his voice against Ike, and Ike never minded all of his bitter views.

He slept curled up on Ike's bed every night until Ike protested and made him sleep under the covers too.

It was warm and Soren liked the feel and smell of Ike, _his_ boy, the one who took him home. Cherished him, loved him. For that he showed an extent of loyalty that was almost uncharacteristic for a cat.

Ike never cared that Soren was different from him, all he really knew was that Soren was his best friend.


	2. red threads and paw prints

title: red threads and paw prints (2/?)

series: fire emblem 9

day/theme: july fifth Enlightenment in kids (late)

character/pairing: ike & neko!soren

summary: Ike brings home a stray. AU, childhood gen and Ike & Neko!Soren cuteness.

a/n: The rest of this series is giftfic that is written often with very short notice/on demand, thus it might be a little less polished than usual. Um, enjoy the cuteness?

As always, for r-amythest.

* * *

Ike was startled awake by a mewing sound. Soren was beside him, as always, his tiny frame small and delicate beside his own sturdier body.

"Soren, Soren what is it?" he said.

The mewling sounding suspiciously like sobs. Soren's ears were pressed back against his head and he held himself, unable to keep from shuddering.

"Soren..." Ike said.

"Mew," Soren said pitifully, and Ike pulled him into his arms. It seemed almost the instant he was warm and safe against Ike, Soren purred. Soren's claws dug into Ike, enough to break skin, but Ike was a big boy now, he didn't mind a little pain. Not that much, anyways.

"It's ok, Soren. I'm going to be strong one day, really strong! Maybe even as strong as father is. Then I'll protect you and Mist and you'll never have to worry."

Soren mewed again, quieter and buried his face against Ike. Ike stroked his silky ears and felt the reverberations of his purring.

Ike fell asleep to that noise, and Soren did too, sometime long after Ike had. The sound of his breathing was almost as comforting as the sound of Soren purring.

* * *

Soren followed him just about everywhere. (It took some time and a lot of sulking for Ike to teach Soren that he wasn't supposed to follow him into the bathroom.) It was like they were tied together, invisible red threads that connected them. Soren would cry if Ike even went out of sight, quiet cries that sounded suspiciously like his name.

But Ike never minded having the small feline boy as his shadow. He liked trusting Soren, even if all the adults said "later" sometimes "later" would never come.

But Soren always listened to him, his small face turning fearful whenever Ike was hurt or mournful whenever he was sad. Soren never let him be alone long enough to be lonely.

Of course, he had Mist, but she was his _sister_, and a girl. She was too young to enjoy the sparring and roughhousing Ike preferred.

Soren was delicate, but he always played with Ike even if it meant getting scratched or bruises forming on his pale skin. Soren was with him, thick and thin, whether he liked the game or not.

* * *

One morning, they found him sprawled in thread. Mist's brand new yarn was tangled all around him as Soren played in it. It was the first time Ike had Soren be actually _happy_/ He'd always been disinterested, clinging to Ike's side but not showing much interest in anyone, or anything else. (Unless it related to Ike, where it became infinitely interesting)

Scattered with the yarn was the leaves of another plant, one Ike had collected while hiking. Green leaves that Soren had nibbled to pieces while they walked, Ike had gotten just a little more and stored it far too close to Mist's yarn.

"Catnip," Rhys said.

Mist scolded Soren for stealing her yarn. She waved her little finger and frowned, all her smiling inverted into short fury.

Soren stalked off, tail high in the air and sulked for the next three hours.

When he finally came out from the cubbyhole and back into the sunlight, Ike smiled at him and petted his soft ears. Soren leaned completely into him and purred at full volume, which was surprisingly loud for someone so quiet.

"Next time I get money, I'll get you some yarn, Soren," Ike said.

Soren watched, his face blank, but Ike noticed that his ears were alert.

"And some more catnip, but you've got to be good this time."

Soren looked away, feigning disinterest, but his ears twitched again.

"I wonder if you can talk...I wish I could speak cat."

Soren titled his head curiously and mewled.

"Probably not, huh."

Soren frowned, and let out an irritated growl.

He puffed himself up, took a deep breath and tried again.

"Mrrrooow...Mrrr..Aii..."

"Me...Aii..." Soren said.

"Soren? You really can talk!"

Soren meowed again, determinedly.

"Me...Aiiiikkkk."

"You did it! You said it!"

He hugged Soren so hard and he could hear Soren purring against him, he laughed and thought he could even hear Soren laughing too, though he'd never heard Soren laugh before.

"You really did it, Soren," he said. Soren looked proud, and perhaps even a bit shy. He petted Soren's ears and Soren buried himself against him, and for a moment they were just two friends and the world outside didn't matter. There were no wars, just the imaginary ones waged in the woods with Soren stalking behind him, as silent as a shadow.

* * *

It took weeks but soon he could say Ike's name perfectly. Soon he learned other words, 'no' being the most often used word for everyone else, 'yes' whenever it had to do anything with Ike.

Soon he could talk with only a trace of an accent, even when his meows almost stopped together, he still purred.

But only for Ike.


	3. lucky black cat

title: lucky black cat

day/theme: July fifteenth - : plausible impossibilities (late)

fandom: fire emblem 9

character(s)/pairing: Ike & Neko!Soren, Greil Mercenaries cast.

summary: Ike brings home a stray. AU, childhood gen and Ike & Neko!Soren cuteness.

a/n: for r-amythest, as always.

* * *

Ike had once heard the black cats brought bad luck. He'd not thought deeply on it because superstitions didn't interest him. Mist threw salt over her shoulder just like Rhys taught her to, but things like bad luck and driving out the evil spirits might as well been stories about monsters in closets to Ike. And he stopped believing in those at a very young age; in fact, even when he believed in them, Ike was more prone to taking small knives and lying in wait than huddling under covers. Shinion felt the edge of Ike's knives more than once when coming back to the mercenary fort drunk.

That's why when the old woman proclaimed Soren a horrible omen, Ike never gave it a thought.

She was crazy, an old ragged hag with white milky eyes and wrinkles that looked like a dried riverbed. She cast her gaze on Soren and opened her drooping mouth to expose a mouthful of rotten teeth. She shrieked and pointed at Soren with one long, spindly finger with unkempt sharp fingernails that looked like talons.

"Black cats are bad omens!" she said. "They will bring nothing but bring destruction!"

Ike paid no attention to her warning. She was obviously crazy, if anything, he felt angry that she would treat Soren like that. He glared at her and gripped Soren's arm.

Soren's ears were pressed flat against his head. It wasn't like all the times he'd Soren angry, though. It was a sort of mix, anger and rage with fear and terror all mixed into one. He'd never seen Soren shake like that before.

"Soren? Soren! Come on, let's go."

Ike pulled at Soren's sleeve, but Soren just kept standing there, staring out at the crazy woman as she cackled, shrieked, and proclaimed doom to everyone that could hear her. A small crowd had drawn now, to investigate the commotion. This only seemed to encourage the woman, as her bird-like cackles filled the air.

And Soren just stood, as if rooted there.

With some time, Ike dragged him away. By then the villagers had closed in on them, their fierce gazes penetrating and frightening. They looked as if they might turn upon him at any minute. Ike hadn't _really_ been afraid, but he breathed a lot easier when the city gates were behind him and home was numbered steps away.

Soren didn't say a word on the way home.

* * *

Soren seemed reticent after that episode, but Ike couldn't figure out why. As it was, Soren barely spoke, but he was always open to Ike. Now Soren was drawn so tightly into his shell. He would curl up in dark places far in the supply room and sleep longer than Ike had ever known him to. He even refused milk and mint tea mixed together; his favorite treat.

Ike didn't even consider that time as a reason because he never took her words to heart for a second. He couldn't believe that Soren would either.

* * *

It went on like that for a week, Soren even stopped sleeping on Ike's bed, choosing instead to take a lumpy leftover cot at the back of the fort where no one ever went.

Dark purplish appeared under his eyes, like bruises. For as much sleeping as he was doing, Soren seemed awful tired. He even began to look even paler, his eyes were always focused on some far off object or place.

* * *

"Soren, you're acting so _weird_, what's wrong?"

Soren wouldn't look at him.

"Soren!"

Ike gripped his shoulders, and turned Soren to face him.

When Soren's eyes finally met his, they were filled with such _sadness_ that Ike was shocked. He'd known something was wrong, but he hadn't thought it'd be like this. Maybe some cat's illness, Rhys had used a heal staff on him, that made everything ok, right?

But Soren looked as if he was barely holding back tears. Without thinking, Ike threw his arms around him.

"Soren..."

Soren finally spoke, in voice so soft, Ike had to strain to hear.

"I've brought nothing but misfortune to you, haven't I?"

Ike blinked.

"But it's not like that, Soren! You're not like that."

He held Soren tighter, so tight that Soren couldn't squirm out of it. Soren was so itense/I, like he'd break at any moment.

"I–Ike–"

"You've brought us nothing but good luck, you must be a lucky black cat!"

"L-lucky?" Soren said.

"Yeah! You're the opposite, instead you pushed away the bad luck and brought only good luck. You must be a lucky black cat."

"So...you don't want to..throw me away?" Soren said

"Of course not! We'll never let you go, even if you run really far away! Well, maybe if you clawed and bit and ran really _fast_... But you wouldn't leave us, would you, Soren?"

"No...I'd stay I'd— as long as you'd have me," Soren said. There was a faint stutter in his voice, and he let out a mew – something Ike hadn't heard from him in a long time.


	4. view from the afternoon

title: view from the afternoon

day/theme: July sixteenth view from the afternoon

fandom: fire emblem 9

character(s)/pairing: Ike & Neko!Soren, Greil Mercenaries cast.

summary: Ike brings home a stray. AU, childhood gen and Ike & Neko!Soren cuteness.

a/n: For r-amythest, as always.

* * *

The afternoon heat came in waves. It was so hot, no one had the heart to spar; much to Titiania's displeasure, Gatrie shed his armor and went about clothed in quite literally, the _bare_ essentials.

However, Greil wouldn't let them idle that long. Just because it was too hot to do chores didn't mean that they got to edge out of their lessons.

Rhys gave their reading lessons. His face was flushed from the heat and his heavy cassocks. He always held the books in his lap with a loose grip, the pages fluttered as he picked for just the right place to start.

Soren always finished first, where Mist had barely started and Ike was only halfway. Greil did not believe in coddling his children in any sense of the word, so only Mist could scrape by with fairy tales. Ike and Soren got dry history accounts in thick volumes that even he had issues lifting, and Soren could barely open the cover.

Soren could recite the lessons with ease. While Ike stumbled over the larger words, and Rhys gently guided him through them, Soren rarely ever found words he couldn't enunciate; they always slipped off his tongue so easily, while Ike found the words rough and clumsy by comparison.

"That's amazing, Soren," Mist said, her little face turned in awe.

"It's nothing," Soren said as he closed the book.

"I sure wish I could do it that well. Hey Soren, I'll teach you how to wield a practice sword if you help me read," Ike said.

"..Of course, Ike," Soren said.

Even though the thought of tiny, fragile little Soren fighting with a sword was laughable, almost as laughable as Ike pronouncing sesquipedalian, or pusillanimous in a single try with no errors.

* * *

Ever since Soren learned to talk, he became the voice of reason in the trio Even at his young age, Soren was remarkably learned and intelligent. He took common sense and reason to new levels, and Greil appreciated this. It did not go unnoticed that Soren was always watching over Ike. It remained to be seen what the tiny boy could do, but at the very least, he might be able to go for help, or lead them from a dangerous situation.

Greil smiled to himself as he watched the scene from afar. The sun was high and in a small spot of shade, Ike sat in the grass with Soren nestled on his lap, fast asleep. Ike absently stroked Soren's ears from time to time, but the smaller boy did not awaken.

* * *

Soren was _cynical_. Sometimes Mist couldn't help but miss his soft mewls and purring, by comparison his voice was much rougher, and his words never quite reached the sweetness of his soft meowing.

Soren would always think that if it rained, not only would it pour, but it would cause mud. And that would turn into a mess, and perhaps even a disaster. He seemed incapable of seeing a light side of anything. The only thing he ever seemed to show any hope in was Ike. He often would stop to watch Ike spar with his father, his book set aside and several old volumes set on the chair to make it just high enough so he could reach the window. Ike had yet to even land a blow on Greil, but Soren always silently cheered him on from afar.

There probably wasn't a person in the whole world who believed in Ike like Soren did. His ears twitched each time the swords hit and every bruise Ike got felt like a bruise to his own skin.

* * *

Ike had noticed that Soren carried something with him on several occasions, but he had always assumed it was a school book or some other thing. Ike never felt much curiosity about books, so it was some time before he got a glimpse of the tome.

It had an odd twisting pattern on it, black and green in a spiral. Ike had never seen anything like it. His eyes widened in wonder as he looked over the strange, intricate cover.

"You're always carrying around that tome, isn't it heavy?" Ike said.

"Not particularly," Soren replied.

"Can I see?" Ike said.

Soren seemed to tense for a moment, and hold the book protectively. Ike had never seen him react in such a manner before, at least not over a _possession_. Soren seemed to care nothing for clothes or toys, choosing books instead. There wasn't a day that Ike didn't pull Soren from the library out to play with him. (_books_ for _fun?_ Sometimes Soren was very weird indeed.)

But in all this time, he'd never seen Soren react to a book like this.

"Come on, Soren, I won't hurt it," Ike said.

"I suppose.." He finally said.

The book was filled with strange symbols that Ike had never seen before. He squinted as if it'd make them clearer, more legible somehow, but only made them blot together, like a sticky mud pile except made of ink.

"What does this say? Can you read it to me, Soren?"

"It's...not that kind of book..." Soren said. He clung protectively to the book, even as it poked out of his arms, too big and too heavy for his small frame.

"Oh. It's a diary then? You can write in that language too? I never knew you could do such stuff, Soren," Ike said.

"No..." Soren said.

Soren looked away, and held on even tighter to the book. Maybe that book was something of the before, whatever caused Soren nightmares at night and made him cling to Ike, his grip so tight that it left marks the next morning. Ike had never asked, but if any of those monsters that made Soren whimper ever came near, Ike would protect him, he knew it.

"You'll show me someday, right Soren?"

After a long pause, Soren nodded. Ike didn't ask after that. To him, 'one day' meant very soon – maybe even tomorrow. Soren never kept secrets from him for long, he always shared whatever he found, how could this be any different?


	5. cat's cradle

title: Cat's Cradle (5/?)

fandom: fire emblem 9

character(s)/pairing: Ike & Neko!Soren, Greil Mercenaries cast.

summary: Ike brings home a stray. AU, childhood gen and Ike & Neko!Soren cuteness.

a/n: For r-amythest, as always. Also, this collective now has a name.

* * *

Ike twisted the string in his fingers. Really, Ike didn't care for games like this, but Mist had done it so effortlessly that she made it look easy.

Almost the entire mercenary toupe had lavished praise on her for getting the threads in exactly the right order. She had gone from person to person, beaming up and showing off her handiwork. Even Shinion cracked a smile for a second.

Ike rarely ever fought with his sister, he didn't put frogs (or bugs, or anything else that was icky and fun) down her dress, or at least he hadn't _recently_. All in all, Ike was a pretty good brother.

But that didn't make him exempt from sibling rivalry.

While Mist had woven the string through her fingers so well, all Ike was finding was tangles and knots. It was a game, supposedly, but it looked more like a mess when he did it.

He grimaced in frustration as he tugged at the string as hard as he could. It jerked about, but the knots only held tighter.

Ike was so caught up in his attempt to untangle the threads that he didn't notice the way Soren was watching his hands. Soren's eyes were wide, there was nothing left in the world but the string and Ike's fingers through it. Soren watched with such rapt attention that the world could've fallen down around him and he likely wouldn't have noticed.

Ike continued to jerk at the string, he pulled harder and harder and the string thrashed back and forth with each pull. Soren watched, entranced at each movement of the string.

Without warning, Soren struck. He had much faster reflexes than Ike had ever thought, he hadn't even seen Soren move. Soren bit at the string lovingly, barely missing Ike's fingers in the process. He purred as he twisted the string out of Ike's grasp and tugged at it.

"Soren...what are you _ doing_?"

Soren froze mid-bite, his face was blank with shock and a knotted bit hanging from his mouth.

"...helping," he said.

Soren turned away, feigning aloofness, but he watched Ike pick at the from the corner of his eye.

Later, Ike found the knotted string had disappeared and he forgot all about the game. Years later he'd find that knotted string, pressed between the covers of Soren's book.


	6. catnap

Title: catnap (6/?)

Fandom: FE9 Tellius

Character/Pairing: Ike+Soren, childhood gen.

Rating: G

Summary:

a/n: I couldn't resist. Yes, more sleeping. It had to be addressed.

Um, as r-amythest has reminded me, cats are crepuscular, however this would be unknown in this universe, thus they would still assume them nocturnal.

And as always, for r-amythest.

* * *

Soren could fall asleep at little or no provocation. Midway through a game of stickball or tag, Soren would start to lag behind more than usual. First it'd be one yawn, then two. His ears would flicker until finally he'd offer some excuse; his feet hurting, his arm being sore, till finally he would offer to be the judge, or referee or simply watch.

Soren would watch for a short time, but it wouldn't be long before he started blinking more, until he finally succumbed to the sleepiness and nestled down. Soon enough he would curl up in the sun and fall asleep.

Ike never really understood that, but Titania said it was a cat thing. Were cats especially sleepy? Even if Soren was good and spent all night snuggled up in his bed, Ike wasn't sure he spent the entire time sleeping. After all, it wasn't as if he'd stay up and watch Soren all night just to see if he really slept.

Mist said cats were nocturnal. Ever since Soren came, she'd asked for Cat books for bedtime. Titania never blinked an eye as she read about the sleeping, eating and hunting habits of the domestic cat. Perhaps it was strange, but Mist seemed determined to know everything possible about Soren, or to be more precise, cats in general.

Ike was less interested in books, but liked the kinds of information that Mist would randomly spout off to anyone within listening distance.

("Did you know that cats can see in the dark? And their hearing is a LOT better than ours, smelling too! It was, um...five times, I think?")

To Ike, Soren would always hold a little magic. He _purred_ and nestled close and warm. Even dragons and warriors had a hard time beating that.

* * *

Soren loved sunny spots. He was curl up and just _drink_ in the warmth until it was mid-day at least. He could sleep for hours if given the chance. Even if he was startled awake, he would simply send a scathing glare at the offender and reposition himself, only to fall asleep moments later.

Sometimes, Ike didn't think things over. The only real thought in his mind was that if Soren liked sunlight so much, it must be _really_ good. Soren drank it up like it was something tasty – and Ike had to wonder, _did_ sunlight have a taste?

So when Soren sprawled out in the sunshine, Ike stripped down to his underclothes and curled up beside him. The warmth lulled him to sleep easily, even more with the sleepy quiet breathing of Soren next to him, the feeling of his hair against his face with every breath.

Ike couldn't say how long he was out. An hour? Two? Maybe even three, but he had fallen asleep at the highest point of the sun.

When he awoke (groggy and disconcerted) all Ike could feel was a searing sort of pain. He tried to roll over from where he was laying, but yelped when his skin touched the ground.

He pushed himself up, frantic to stop his skin from the painful itchy burning sensation that covered over all of his back.

Ike had lain on his stomach to sleep, and now he couldn't see whatever had happened. It crossed his young mind that he might die from this sort of horrible pain, and he bit his lip to stop the tears that threatened to overflow. He was a _big boy_, Mist was the one who did the crying in their family.

Soren lay still, his leg twitching from some happy dream. Ike wobbled back to the main buildings, searching for every last drop of courage he had. Maybe Rhys could save him yet if he hurried.

* * *

Ike had to grip the door frame when he reached the room that served as both Rhys' living quarters and healing room for whatever ailments or injuries might plague the group.

"Oh, Ike. Hello," he smiled. His gaze over Ike was kind and benevolent.

"Is there something you needed?" Rhys asked.

"My back—"

"Let me see," Rhys said.

Ike turned around. He couldn't see what had happened to his back, the only this he knew was it ached like nothing he had ever felt before. Was his skin going to fall off? Ike's mind provided so many possibilities, he had to shut his eyes tight and shake his head to push them back.

"Ah, a Sunburn," Rhys said after some careful study.

Ike took a deep breath. "But I'm going to live, right..?"

Rhys placed a delicate hand to his face to hide his smile.

"Oh, _probably._."

At Ike's startled face, Rhys laughed softly.

"You'll be fine," he amended.

"Just let me clean it out before I heal it. I have some soothing herbs here somewhere..."

Rhys checked through his formidable stash of dried salves and herbal treatments, from treating bee stings to burns, if it helped, Rhys had it. His selection was neat and orderly, and it only took a few minutes for Rhys to locate the salve and some cool water.

"This will hurt a bit, but it has to be clean before I heal it," Rhys said.

The water was cold and it _hurt_. Tears stung at his eyes. Ike balled his fists up and pressed them against his eyes _hard_ until the tears went back into hiding like the cowards they were. He felt the water run off his back to the floor, and Ike focused his mind on swordplay, on the drills – on _anything_ but the pain.

"Just a little more," Rhys said gently.

He rubbed in a salve (Aloe Vera, he called it) and told Ike to rest a while on his stomach. Once the salve had set in, Rhys would use the heal staff for Ike's back. Rhys was always precise in his healing, but as he always said – certain steps must be taken. If an arm was broken and not set before the Heal staff was used, then it would heal improperly. Skin not properly cared for would turn into a mess of scar tissue. All in good time, he would say.

Ike laid down on his stomach and closed his eyes, but didn't fall asleep.

Outside, Soren dreamed happy dreams in the warm sunlight.

* * *

After that, Ike realized there was just some things that Soren could do that he couldn't. He never felt jealous of this, on contrary, he felt rather amazed that he found someone so magical like Soren.

Soren was so full of secrets, ones that Soren himself didn't even know. Ike wanted to find out all those secrets, even if it took him a lifetime.


	7. The Last Page Closes

Title: The Last Page Closes  
Series: FE9 AU  
Character/Pairing: Ike & Neko!Soren.  
Rating: PG-ish at most  
Word count: 1,626  
A/N: Final entry ho! The ending is similar to the first chapter's for a reason – for a looped beginning-is-the-end-is-the-beginning effect. This was a fun enough endeavor and my first finished 'official' chapterwork, but I'm working on other things now and it's time to close up shop.

Funny, I figured Every Happy End would be finished first.... Anyways! As always, for r-amythest.

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1. Ike couldn't climb trees very well. Soren would crawl up the bark with ease and stare down curiously at his boy as Ike fought to

He tilted his head and gave a little mew, but his boy could never seem to get the hang of climbing. Soren preferred heights as felines were wont to do, but he rose and jumped gracefully down to the ground with Ike.

He'd rather be on the ground with his boy then in the trees alone.

2.

The next morning they were awoken to furious swearing by Shinon. Soren came out in his shift and Mist in her pink ribboned nightie. Ike refused to wear a _dress_ to bed and thus was relegated to an pair of worn older clothes to sleep in. A few other people had gathered and rubbed sleepily at their eyes.

"Somebody ruined my boots," Shinon said. "There've been pis–"

"Not in front of the children," Titania cut in. She stared him down, her own surrogate motherhood brutal and insurmountable.

"Peed on," Shinon amended sulkily.

Shinon looked pointedly at Soren as he said every word, but Soren didn't back down. He didn't even flinch. His ears were pushed back and he growled low in the back of his throat.

"Soren couldn't have done it, he was sleeping on my bed all night," Ike said.

"You were asleep, brat. You couldn't watch his every move. Stop trying to be a witness when you're useless, whelp."

"But he would've woken me up if he'd gotten up. The covers were over him too."

"Are you sure it wasn't _your own_?" Titania said. "You were pretty drunk last night. You might have...missed."

That shut Shinon right up and he took to muttering and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

So the day went on. Everyone went to their quarter. In his own, Soren looked as smug as the cat who ate the canary and stole some milk to boot. Cats were particularly passive-aggressive creatures. They never forgot and could wage wars that would last as long as they drew breath.

Next time Shinon got drunk his bowstrings might be cut, or his quiver put in the refuse pile – or even the latrine. The possibilities were endless.

3. There had been an increase of the amount of dead creatures left at Ike's door. Being as that Ike was a young boy, he was overjoyed to have voles and frogs and birds to poke and prod and study just as young boys do. When they rotted and stank and made his sister scream, which made it more fun. Really, he was a good big brother. It wasn't like he showed dead things down her dresses. Usually, at least. Still, that didn't mean it wasn't funny when she shrieked at the mere sight of a dead thing.

He did not suspect the source, but Soren couldn't help be look triumphant as Ike inspected and poked with sticks over every prize he brought home. He was a good provider and his boy was happy. All was well.

4.

Ike, Mist and Soren all held hands as they went for a bit of candy – and a bit of fish for Soren. Soren was a notoriously picky eater. He refused all sweet things and would dine on meat alone if he had the chance. He turned his nose up to vegetables and grains and preferred his meat raw.

Titania said that was just how cats were. Ike wished he could be a cat sometimes. His dad never made _Soren_eat all his vegetables.

Rock candy was an odd thing, but it was tasty. It didn't look anything like rocks, and didn't taste like them either.

After the candy stands they made their way over to the smellier fish stands at the opposite end.  
Ike paid his pence and handed a small fish to Soren. Soren looked about and took it, but grudgingly. Soren hated being handfed, and Ike was the only one he would tolerate it from. Even then, he didn't like it.

Soren skipped to an alley to devour his prize and Mist and Ike laughed. The day was bright. Together it seemed fine that Oscar and Titania and Father weren't anywhere near. At least until the glint of silver came to light.

It was two stands down beyond the fishery, but the fight came to blows before the fishwives. A tall man with unremarkable clothing. He could've been anyone. He pointed the knife in the direction of the fishwife who squawked and with some prodding of sharp objects, was persuaded to let up her purse.

But that wasn't enough. As Ike and Mist watched in numb silence, he turned the blade on them too. Another joined the man. A cohort just as anonymous as himself. These weren't brigands, and any of the other mercenaries would have been able to take on the thief with ease. But these were children, and Ike hadn't earned his sword yet. He couldn't protect anyone like this.

The thief grabbed Mist by the forearm. She kicked and clawed and even scored a bite on his arm which caused a bout of swearing and a swift knock to her head.

His cohort grabbed Ike and pressed a knife to his throat. He pressed it so close that a thin trail of blood oozed at the trail of it.

They did not notice the cat who had gone to the shadows to eat his food. Cats sometime dislike the confines of bowls, and Soren was no exception. They did not see the unearthly light which began, a greenish shade that flickered about a cat in the shadows of an alley. Ike looked to the source and found the book open and Soren reading from it. His black hair whipped in the wind he was creating. Whorls of it came and assailed the two, just missing Ike and Mist. The winds rushed all about them, miniture tornadoes and wind shears to be called at whim.

"Wow, Soren! You're a magic cat!" Mist exclaimed.

Ike just watched in wonder. He didn't know what Soren was, and suspected that Soren didn't know either. It was just one of those things.

"You saved my life," Ike said.

Soren nodded and put his own special book away. Ike finally knew its mysteries but there was a thousand more questions that came with that answer. Who had taught a cat magic? Was Soren a wizard's cat? How could he be that good at his age? Soren was Ike's age, or maybe a little younger. It didn't make sense for him to have the skills of an adult already. But Ike was not prone to deep thoughts and contemplations of the world around him. He simply accepted Soren. Ike didn't wait. He acted. He threw his arms around Soren. Mist joined him in her own impromptu way. Oscar finally came to the scene where the thief's body lay, they were still hugging close. Ike and Mist petted Soren's soft, soft ears and Soren gave his own begrudging purring.

He was an aloof cat, one that only liked his boy and best friend. Showing the least bit of affection in public was a rare affair, but he had apparently begrudgingly begun to tolerate Mist. She was Ike's blood, thus tolerable. That didn't mean he liked anyone else, though. More often than not, cats would gravitate to one person and snub the rest of the group, even if offered treats and toys and loving pats. Cats were a picky kind of creature in more than just dietary measures.

5. Soren was a strange enough cat. He protected his master like a dog and walked on two feet like a human. He also read and wrote like a human – even better than some humans, Ike especially. He was intelligent and cynical, yet he still cared enough to save their lives. He was weak to catnip and fish, and he knew strange, untold arts that Ike could only dream off.

Ike sometimes wondered what it was life for Soren, to be half animal and half human. Wasn't that what Soren was? Ike never asked. Titania had once said that Soren didn't look like a Laguz. (which when Ike asked what that was, Shinion replied with 'a big hairy beast that'd _eat_ you, whelp')

Did Soren hear better? Did he have better eyesight? Ike wondered and wondered, but when he asked Soren didn't seem to understand the question.

Soren's ears were silky soft, his tail darted around and as much as Soren liked to pretend he didn't, he liked playing with it as much as Ike did.

Yeah, they were different and Soren was strange with all his catlike ways but Ike never really cared. Soren was Soren, nothing else mattered. Ike let him crawl into bed with him every night, and he'd fight off the nightmares if they ever came back. If anyone called Soren cursed or a half-breed, Ike would fight them too. Soren slept easily now. When he twitched and mewed in his sleep, it wasn't in terror, but some far off good dream. Some happy place.

Soren was his friend, and nothing else could change that. Nothing else mattered in the face of that.


End file.
